They struggle daily yet their focus and prayers are for others

by Zakir Jaafar

We had our Reach Out Raya Eid Mubarak Celebration with the homeless and the poor in the city of KL several days ago. Everyone had a good time and lots of people donated lots of food and goodies. We would like to thank those who made the event happened and those who had a hand for the items & foods given out to the poor and homeless.

I was there at the event but my get together with the poor & homeless friends was something else. I had the opportunity of meeting those dear to me over the years I have been doing food distribution runs. Veronica, Tashna with her grandmother. They are not homeless but they are within the category of those living below poverty line in KL. They have been queuing for food packs and drinks during our food distribution runs since 2008

These are similar stories of two ladies both of their struggles & prayers to raise their loved ones.

Tashna is 8 years old. She is in her standard 2 in her primary school. She is bright and full of spirit child. I have known Tashna and her grandmother since Tashna was 5 years old. I still remember the early days when both of them would walked for miles to get free food. Both of them are living in a rented DBKL apartment, rental of $500 per month. Her grandmother has odd jobs and been taking care of Tashna since birth. She is the only one to care for Tashna, send Tashna to school and to ensure Tashna has food daily. There has been many occasions when her grandmother has approached us for donations to buy school books & items for Tashna espcially beginning of school year. We even followed them to Tashna’s house and school to ensure books are bought. The grandma’s story is about the story of living on daily basis and ensuring Tashna will be a person who we all will be proud of one day. I know the grandmother will do anything possible, anything that is morally right, within her capacity to ensure that Tashna is alright.

Also during the Reach Out Raya Eid Mubarak Celebration, Veronica told me how proud she is of her grown up children. I knew for several years that she has children of her own. Though heart wrenching I had heard several times before this when she told me her sons didn’t care for her and left her on her own. In order to survive she has been collecting empty cans from dustbins. Little did I know when she confessed to me that day she has been praying for her children all these years despite the mistreatment her children gave her. She never gave up raising her children even though the only she had were prayers for them. Nowadays she gets some money from her children to survive. I asked her why still collecting the cans. What she gets from collecting she will donate to the disabled beggars on the street of KL. She said to me “never stop praying Zakir”, after she only discovered of my recent divorced. “God will always be there for you” she added. Veronica is a story of how she survived throughout the years knowing her prayers are the only thing she can offer to raise her children. She was beaming with pride when she told me how her children have turned out despite of her years of picking cans on the street of KL.

Veronica and Tashna’s grandmother have similar stories. Two ladies both of their struggles & prayers to raise their loved ones. Both with big hearts.